Ouagadougou Stargazing & Astronomy Report

Key Sky Quality Metrics

SQM (mag/arcsec²)

18.48

Bortle class

Class 8 (Class 8)

Darkness Quotient

27%

Dataset

July 2026

City sky

Ouagadougou: The Practical Verdict

Ouagadougou, situated in the Centre region of Burkina Faso, is a major city characterised by dense urban settings. The quality of the night sky is affected by high light pollution, resulting in limited opportunities for astronomical observations. The overwhelming brightness of the city ensures that both the stars and the Milky Way are largely obscured.

From within Ouagadougou, the brighter celestial objects such as the Moon and planets remain the best targets for observation. These can be viewed alongside bright stars and double stars. Deep-sky observing is largely out of reach due to the excessive light pollution. Narrowband imaging may be attempted with care but expect gradients and high sky background to impact results.

For those seeking a darker sky, Opaou lies to the south-south-west, approximately 95 km away. This site offers a Bortle Class 3 experience, making it a valuable location for serious deep-sky observers.

At a Glance

Overall

Poor city sky - This is a poor city sky. The Milky Way is not visible and most deep-sky observing is unrealistic from the location itself.

Milky Way

Not visible - The Milky Way is erased by the bright urban sky background.

Best targets from here

Moon, planets, bright stars, double stars, solar system events, narrowband imaging only with care

Do not prioritise

visual deep-sky observing, broadband galaxies, reflection nebulae, widefield Milky Way

Best nearby upgrade

Opaou sits about 96 km south south west and reaches Bortle 3, roughly 15x darker.

Good dark window

Ouagadougou retains astronomical darkness throughout the year, so seasonality is less extreme than at higher latitudes. The main limitation is light pollution, not the length of the dark window.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you see the Milky Way from Ouagadougou?

No. Ouagadougou is a Bortle Class 8 sky with SQM 18.48, so the Milky Way is not visible from the city. For Milky Way photography, look for a Bortle 4 or darker site.

What Bortle class is Ouagadougou?

Ouagadougou is Bortle Class 8 (SQM 18.48), a poor city sky for astronomy.

Is Ouagadougou good for stargazing?

Not for serious deep-sky observing. Ouagadougou is a poor city sky where the Moon, planets, and a handful of bright targets are the realistic options from the city itself.

Is Ouagadougou good for astrophotography?

Broadband deep-sky imaging is heavily compromised from Ouagadougou and a Bortle 4 or darker site is strongly recommended. Even narrowband imaging is difficult from Ouagadougou without careful processing.

What can you observe from Ouagadougou?

Primary targets from Ouagadougou include Moon, planets, bright stars, double stars, solar system events. Targets such as visual deep-sky observing, broadband galaxies, reflection nebulae are not realistic from this sky.

Where are darker skies near Ouagadougou?

The closest meaningfully darker mapped site is Opaou, about 96 km south south west of Ouagadougou, reaching Bortle 3.

When is the sky darkest in Ouagadougou?

The sky over Ouagadougou is darkest around January, December.

Is light pollution in Ouagadougou getting better or worse?

Long-term light pollution over Ouagadougou has been broadly stable across the available measurements.

• Opaou

  Direction

  SSW

  Distance (km)

  95.8

  SQM

  21.45

  Bortle

  3

• Assinga

  Direction

  NNE

  Distance (km)

  268.1

  SQM

  21.78

  Bortle

  2

• Bartiébougou

  Direction

  ENE

  Distance (km)

  267.4

  SQM

  21.59

  Bortle

  3